Dr. John Thomas Taylor, Do

Dr. John Thomas Taylor, DO, 78, of Amarillo, passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020. Celebration of Life Services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Cox-Rowley Funeral Home Chapel, 4180 Canyon Drive with Rev. Rick Atkinson officiating. You may view the service on livestream at https://www.coxrowleyfuneralhome.com/live-streaming-. John was born October 14, 1942 in Brownwood, Texas to Henry and Margaret Taylor. He was active in Boy Scouts, and earned Eagle Scout Rank. He graduated from Brownwood High School and earned his bachelor degree at Howard Payne University. John was very proud of his family heritage at HPU. His grandfather, Dr. Thomas Hendricks Taylor was the longest serving president at HPU to date. Dr. Thomas H. Taylor took office in 1929 shortly before the Great Depression. Taylor kept Howard Payne open when other rural, private colleges failed by challenging faculty members to work without pay and house students in their homes without compensation. Most faculty members tore up their contracts and agreed to work without pay until the college began operating in the black. After his time at HPU, John went on to medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathy. The lieutenant governor of Texas at the time, Ben Barnes, paid for half of John’s tuition, as it was very important to him that Texas have more Doctors of Osteopathy. On May 2, 1964 John married the love of his life, Patricia Atkinson in Danbury, Texas. He began his practice in 1970, and had clinics in Amarillo, Roswell, Albuquerque, and Clovis, New Mexico. John is remembered by his family and friends as a true renaissance man. Among his many passions were medicine, photography, ranching, fishing, and hunting. John loved life and had a thirst for learning and knowledge. John will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Carmen Sue Taylor. Survivors include his wife, Pat Taylor; a son, Thomas H. Taylor and wife Pamela of Quitaque; two daughters, Cindy Riesenberg of Amarilo, and Terri Taylor of Frisco; three grandchildren, Dylan Taylor, Molly Riesenberg, and Madison Riesenberg; and three step-grandchildren, Alex Vivens, Grant Vivens, and Chloe Vivens. It would overjoy the Taylor family if, in lieu of flowers, you would make a donation to the Thomas Taylor Endowed Scholarship at Howard Payne University. You can give online at www.hputx.edu/giving/give-to-hpu/, designate “other”, and in the comments box, add “Taylor Endowed Scholarship in memory of John Thomas Taylor”. You may also donate by mail at PO Box 2369, Brownwood, TX 76804, or by phone at (325) 649-8818.